The Wild Oats Project

The Wild Oats Project What if for just one year you explored everything you d wondered about sex but hadn t tried The project was simple An attractive successful magazine journalist Robin Rinaldi would move into a San F

Title: The Wild Oats Project

Author: Robin Rinaldi

ISBN: 9780385681056

Page: 348

Format: Hardcover

What if for just one year you explored everything you d wondered about sex but hadn t tried The project was simple An attractive, successful magazine journalist, Robin Rinaldi, would move into a San Francisco apartment, join a dating site, and get laid Never mind that she already owned a beautiful flat a few blocks away, that she was forty four, or that she wWhat if for just one year you explored everything you d wondered about sex but hadn t tried The project was simple An attractive, successful magazine journalist, Robin Rinaldi, would move into a San Francisco apartment, join a dating site, and get laid Never mind that she already owned a beautiful flat a few blocks away, that she was forty four, or that she was married to a man she d been in love with for eighteen years What followed a year of sex, heartbreak, and unexpected revelation is the topic of this riveting memoir, The Wild Oats Project An open marriage was never one of Rinaldi s goals her priority as she approached midlife was to start a family But when her husband insisted on a vasectomy, she decided that she could remain married only on her own terms If I can t have children, she told herself, then I m going to have lovers During the week she would live alone, seduce men and women , attend erotic workshops, and partake in wall banging sex On the weekends, she would go home and be a wife At a time when the bestseller lists are topped by books about eroticism and the shifting roles of women, this brave memoir explores how our sexuality defines us and it delivers the missing link an everywoman s account of sex Combining the strong literary voice of Cheryl Strayed s Wild with the adventurousness of Elizabeth Gilbert s Eat, Pray, Love, The Wild Oats Project challenges our sensibilities and evokes the delicate balance between loving others and staying true to oneself.

1 thought on “The Wild Oats Project”

I’ve never met with a stronger visceral reaction of complete distaste toward a book before reading this memoir. My reaction has nothing to do with “slut shaming”, celibacy, or doing what you want to do with your body. This isn’t about being pro or against marriage, open marriages or even becoming a parent.This book brings up so many questions but ultimately it is about choices. Choices that are preferably healthy ones for you, let alone your partner, whatever season you find yourself liv [...]

For me, the best books are voyeuristic in a way that is also relatable. I expected Robin Rinaldi's memoir to be voyeuristic, which it most definitely was—and as another reviewer has mentioned, this means there are plenty of sexual escapades and experimentation contained therein. The thing I did not expect was how gripped I would be by the way the narrator tackles the big questions throughout—questions about finding meaning in life, the importance of sex in a relationship, and the winding, ro [...]

So I am torn about how to rate this book. Should I rate it by how much I agree or disagree with the author's decisions? Or should I base my rating on the quality of the writing? This was a very gripping, honest and sometimes humorous look at one woman's quest for exploration. In my opinion, her decision to go on this quest was a selfish one. But I knew what I was getting into with this book. I was curious about her reasons for embarking on this journey. Her reason for wanting an open marriage: h [...]

Hoooo boy. Lots of conflicting feelings on this book. On one hand, it was compulsively readable (I read it in two days). The author is a skilled writer who can really tell a story. On the other hand, I couldn't help like feeling this was 50 Shades of Gray for the Burning Man set. Some of her "seductions" seemed so cliche and kind of silly, but I think the reader is supposed to take them as a profound personal journey. And what to say about Scott, the long suffering husband? It bothered me that S [...]

I stumbled on this book and it's a bad one--a feminist who thinks she's intelligent and spiritually advanced gets mad at her husband for not letting her get pregnant and instead starts an "open marriage" where she spends 5 days a week sleeping with others guys (and a few women), while devoting weekends to her husband. It's a bizarre premise and with all the self-analysis she does she never reaches any truth.It's easy to see the problem--she had an alcoholic, abusive father and she has spent the [...]

In a time when the nation is lumping every explicit tale about female sexuality into the Fifty Shades of Gray category, Robin Rinaldi's Wild Oats stands out because it has nothing to do with bodice-ripping fantasy despite the fact that there's a ton of great sex. (Big plus: The writing is good. No comment on Fifty Shades.)Wild Oats is a story so unflinchingly true and honest that you can feel Rinaldi stepping away from the computer to take a deep breath before returning to delete the vision of h [...]

I'd really been looking forward to reading this memoir of the author's year of living "for passion at any cost." There's no doubt that Robin Rinaldi's story is interesting, or that her writing is strong and clear. Unfortunately, her story is self-indulgent and narcissistic to a point where I felt bad for all of the characters who crossed her path. She claims that she is exploring the fine line between loving others and being true to herself, but her lack of empathy or love for others is what ult [...]

I had looked forward to reading this book because the author's idea of taking weekdays off her marriage for a year to "sow her wild oats" with various men (then spending her weekends at home with her husband) intrigued me, not because I ever want to even think about it but because it's such a polar opposite of any lifestyle I would ever even think about following. But, unfortunately, I was terribly disappointed in this book. I would recommend this to only those who thought the "love" chapter of [...]

Five stars. By far, the best book I've read this year.I'll note that memoirs are often hit-or-miss with me. I rarely find myself being so enthralled by a memoir that I forget it's someone's real life and not fiction. This book was the exception.From the very beginning, the author gives us a glimpse into the issues of her marriage. Needs aren't met and as a result, she asks for an open marriage. What follows after her request is granted by her distant husband is the stuff of legend. Robin takes t [...]

Robin wrote a really nice book and deserves to be admire for the sincerity she exposed in this book. Like every woman, or almost every woman, Robin wanted to be a mother. At what price? You'll have to read it to know. She has been true a mid forty crises. She needed to explore new things to fight her demons. By writing this book, she show that nothing can be all pink and you will probably always expect better in your life, but what better? Her story is instructive and a blessing to life. She doe [...]

An adolescent freak-out I saw this book being reviewed here and there and I admit, it sounded quite intriguing. Woman decides to take the "weekdays" off from her marriage and then go home to her husband on the weekends. How did we get here? What drove her to this decision? Why does she think she should do this after her husband firmly, assertively, definitively tells her that no, he does not want children, or even one child. I wanted to give it a shot, I wanted to read it so I could know for my [...]

A strange, selfish little book. If this was written by a guy it would be unexceptional; a mid life crisis involving betrayal, sex with (usually younger) strangers, treating a spouse like crap, and a phenomenal level of self absorption. Well written, so there's that, and really only that.

When I started this book I was expecting it to be salacious, maybe even a bit sordid but it surprised me with its thoughtfulness. It is the record of a middle aged (ahem age) woman's quest to discover who she is after her husband refuses to fulfill her desire for children. Since she won't be assuming the role of mother as she had expected from her life she convinces her husband to have an open marriage and and embarks on a sexual odyssey to fulfill the desires that she felt she had missed out on [...]

Sweet Revenge! My heart goes out to the author, dear Robin. I was so sad to read her story and how she turned to revenge to make a point. Husband had the vasectomy and she vented her wrath to no fulfillment and yet she is still without children. I wish she had moved along with her life and focus on becoming the mother she wanted to be and found joy in her life.

Journalist and former Editor of 7x7 Lifestyle Magazine in San Francisco, California; Robin Rinaldi writes explicitly well about her year long experiment in experiencing sex with men and women as she was still married. Some clarifications are necessary as I read the other reviews; this book cannot be compared to Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert or Wild by Cheryl Strayed. These books are b-r-a-v-e accounts of women leaving everything behind and searching for contentment. Rinaldi states the two [...]

Ii don't think I can rate this one like I normally do. It's a memoir and well, the writing is fine - all of the details, pacing and structure work just fine but the subjectsWell, it's interesting and definitely stirred up a shit ton of emotions. I'm troubled because the author is telling her story and she really doesn't paint herself as a very likable character all. I listened to this as an audiobook and on more than one occasion I wanted to throw my iPhone across the room out of frustration tow [...]

Full review on my blog: nikkitheknack/2015Robin Rinaldi is incredibly honest in this memoir. She discusses the good, the bad, and the ugly, never glazing over the difficult parts. It was pretty educational to me - it opened my eyes to a whole subculture I never knew existed.I think the thing I appreciate most about this book is how much it made me think - about life, people, opportunities, adventures, consequencesI love books that make me think and perhaps push me outside of my comfort zone.Also [...]

A deeply honest memoir, "The Wild Oats Project" is a wonderful read. One should come to the book knowing it is sexual, exploratory, and thought-provoking; it is right there in the title so it should not be a surprise. I've had multiple friends and family members ask to borrow the book (and it's not even in stores yet), intrigued by the memoir's concept and the cover art. Bravo, Robin. The Wild Oats project was a courageous effort, and the accounting of your momentous year is equally brave.

It's unkind of readers to rate the book based on the author's morals. As far as writing quality and storytelling goes, this was a great read. I hope Robin and her husband find what they're looking for in the end.

I gave this 5 stars because the writing was very good. I don't normally comment on the content of biographies or memoirs; however, because of the topic I would like to stay it was very honest. I applaud her for it the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Horrible book. I had to read this book for book club. I tend to take on the mood of the book I'm reading, and this book make me feel depressed. The main character was dislikable and frustrating. Just don't read it. This is the feeling from my entire book club.

One of the best memoirs- brave and honest. Couldn't put it down. It made me look at my own life- not because I want to do what she did, but because she learned and grew from following her passions.Well written and easy to read. Loved it

I read this book very quickly. I couldn't put it down. I hid away and left chores for later until I could get through it. This book came at exactly the right time in my life. Now I am talking about it to all my female friends.

I don't know Robin Rinaldi and the only impression I get of what she (maybe) looks like is the naked redhead on the cover of the book. It might not be her at all, and I can't really check if it is, because the photo is of her from the back. Actually - I don't want to check what she looks like. I could probably find any number of pictures of her on the internet, but I dunno - flesh corrodes and I wouldn't want to see her and be disappointed by what she looks like. I'd rather leave the image tha [...]

"The Wild Oats Project: One Woman's Midlife Quest for Passion at Any Cost", is a candid intensely written exploration of self-discovery which led author Robin Rinaldi to ask her husband Scott for an open marriage in 2007, when they lived in San Francisco. With casual flings being fairly socially accepted among friends, Rinaldi didn't think this would be a threat to her stable 17 year marriage.This was a relatively happy marriage, Rinaldi was a senior editor at 7 X 7 a city magazine. With agreeme [...]

When I was at the RHC Blogger preview and the gals were pitching this book to me, I knew instantly that I was going to add it to my must-read list. This book sounded just so intriguing. Immediately going into the text with the premise, I had this thought in the back of my head that there was not a way that this text was going to end on a happy note, but as I closed the book, I realized that it wasn't the point of the text. What Robin does in the 287 pages is recount a fragment of her life and sh [...]

I thoroughly enjoyed this beautiful read by Robin Rinaldi. I really feel like she did a great job depicting the difficult truth of life and relationships; which is that it's never black and white, we live our lives in shades of gray. For those who question the logic of her premise, the idea that sex can make up for a childless life, I feel you are not really looking deeper at the essence of those two experienceswhen it comes to relationships (friendship or romantic) I can't tell you how many tim [...]

I thought The Wild Oats Project by Robin Rinaldi looked like an unique memoir, and I was happy to receive a copy of it through the First Reads program.The description of the book suggests that it combines "the strong literary voice of Cheryl Strayed’s Wild with the adventurousness of Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love" and that it "challenges our sensibilities and evokes the delicate balance between loving others and staying true to oneself”. I was expecting it to be about one last, lus [...]